


Crack in the Glass

by TwinKats



Series: Cracks [1]
Category: Homestuck, Mass Effect
Genre: All canon homestuck ships, F/F, F/M, Gen, I love mordin, Is canon up until group meets grimdark!Jade, M/M, Multi, Other, and further influenced by Mordin dying, characters getting new species, deviates from there, gonna stop these weird tags now..., immediate universal shift, just a bunch of inane bullshit brought on by the mass effect series, maybe some non-canon ones too later, mostly takes place in mass effect, my poor baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-14
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-08 11:06:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/760630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwinKats/pseuds/TwinKats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The universe imploded. At least that's what it looked like. Everything had gone to shit, they were fighting a big green monster with more than half of their number down, and the universe fucking <i>imploded</i>. The plus side is: No More English.</p><p>The down side?</p><p>They have no idea what imploding a universe means, or what the side effects fully are. The only thing they <i>are</i> sure of is that somehow they made this new place, and now they might just have to fix it. Sometimes creating a universe means owning up to your mistakes. Especially when those mistakes lead to the potential destruction of said universe</p><p>Sometimes being a God just sucks, and they aren't even sure how they accomplished <i>that</i> trick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Meteor entered the Alpha Session with a crash. From the bottom up it began to break, juddering and shuttering as it smashed into the remains of what had once been earth. From the resultant collision the planet would eventually enter into an ice cold winter, before turning into desolate rock.

Atop the Meteor’s precipice stood four Trolls, two Humans, and a Carapician. As the ground beneath them tore apart, they jumped, slipping from one piece of rock to another. Dave and Rose exchanged a single glance before the Knight of Time pulled out his turntables and gave them a spin. This was all in accordance to a pre-laid plan, for soon there would be the final arrival, then the final battle...

Karkat fingered his sickles as everyone came to stand upon the ground, away from the Meteor that still crashed down around him. Gamzee toyed his clubs, Terezi her cane, and Kanaya her lipstick as she moved to stand beside Rose.

“He should return soon,” she said, not glancing back at them. Instead she kept her violet gaze up at the sky, staring at the shining planets of Prospit and Derse with a slight frown. “Something has already happened.”

“What?” Karkat demanded, his hand clenching tight around his sickle.

Terezi stepped in front of Rose and held out a hand for the other Seer to clasp. “Pull me in,” she said, expression set into a determined stone. Rose clasped her hand.

Both Seers glowed; Rose the bright golden color of Light and Terezi the bright sea-green of Mind. Their eyes were seemingly overcome by the color, washing out the whites and golds, barely-there teals and bright amethyst. Both Seers raised into the air, their empty hands reached out as if to grasp a third member who was not present. Karkat could see the dulcet tones of rusty Blood that _should_ be there, but weren’t. He clenched his sickle tighter.

With a flash, Terezi and Rose dropped to the ground returned to normal.

“He has already made his move,” Rose said, a mirrored frown on Terezi’s face.

“Stole from us two of our number, cast out a third, and captured another two,” Terezi murmured, turning to gaze up at the bright planets in the sky alongside Rose.

“Is there nothing we can do to counter his move?” Kanaya questioned.

Terezi nodded. “We need John.”

They were silent and chose to stand, waiting, until there was a brilliant flash of red. Dave stepped forward, John in his hands snoring away. Next to him stood Aradia and Sollux. The entire group was silent as Dave handed John over to Rose and Aradia gave Gamzee her music boxes. With a second bright flash Gamzee vanished into the flows and eddies of time.

Karkat breathed out slowly.

“How long until it arrives?” he demanded, turning towards the two Time players. Dave and Aradia, in synch, tilted their heads to the side as if listening to some unheard sound.

“We have three hours,” they said in synch.

“Three hours to prepare, without him noticing us, and since we’re lacking in Void players that’s going to be pretty fucking hard,” Karkat let out another shuddering breath, tightened his grip, and then relaxed. “Shit.” He ran his hand through his hair.

“Gamzee is already underway with his portion of the plan,” Aradia said, stepping forward and clasping Karkat’s hands into hers. “So we won’t have to worry about that.”

“We won’t have to worry?” Karkat barked a laugh and pulled away. “About that fuckass clown panaddled shitfucker? God, Aradia, of course we have to worry. He could fuck everything up and we won’t know until its too late! There’s no telling what Gamzee will do when faced with his fucking ‘god’!”

“He was the best choice man,” Dave said, pushing his shades up higher on his nose and patting Karkat on the shoulder. “He’s the only living player of Rage we’ve got left, and the only Rage player that’s listened so far to reason. We need him to fuck up English when English isn’t even English. You know how integral that is.”

“Damn it Dave, I’m worried he won’t want to when he meets that fucker for the first time,” Karkat muttered. “You know how much of a pain it was to talk some sense into him.”

“Gamzee will pull through,” Rose said, and beside her Terezi nodded with a frown. “We have to believe in that, otherwise this whole thing is shot.”

“For now we should focus on how we’re going to get back the ones that they’ve effectively separated us from,” Terezi’s knuckles practically turned teal she gripped her cane so hard.

Karkat nodded as Dave uncaptchalogued a war table for them to plan on. Each member of the remaining group gathered around to discuss what they were going to do, with Rose settling John to lay upon a couch of light.

“It might be, with Terezi’s help, that I can break the hold upon them,” Rose said after a while.

“I thought you said we needed John,” Karkat pointed out.

“Yes,” Kanaya agreed. “As a matter of fact why isn’t he awake?”

“John’th thide of the plan ith already underway,” Sollux replied. “He’th in plathe, waiting for uth to bring hith thlumbering body.”

“I thought you were going to _wait_ for that part of the plan?” Karkat countered, looking to Aradia. Aradia smiled, shrugged, and said nothing.

Sollux frowned. “AA won’t mention it but she’th been fighting English’th influenthe upon the time thtream. More than onthe in the patht theveral hourth leading up to our joining you he hath influenthed her wordth.”

Aradia nodded once, grin firmly fixed in place.

“I figured Dave was going through much the same thing!” she said cheerfully.

There was a moment of silence around the table before Dave slowly nodded.

“He’s been twisting time to his own end, being a Lord of it and all, that those of us lower on the food chain are finding it hard not to pledge the mother fucking allegiance to the flag to his big green masterful dick. I didn’t want to worry you with that, though, because Aradia and I have it under control.” There was a pause, and then a grimace. “Mostly.”

Karkat gritted his teeth and clenched his hands. “Well isn’t that just fucking great! The lord of taint chafing bullfuckery has gained control of two of our most integral players! On top of that he’s stolen another five out from under our goddamn noses, and probably turned a sixth pan addled murderfriend! Is there any _more_ bad news to toss onto the pile of bad news?!”

“Kar, chill,” Dave pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s going to work. Our Seers are already certain of it.”

“Actually, in this new startling light, we are now unsure how much we are Seeing is a fabrication of English’s meddling within Time,” Rose raised her hand, lips pressed thin.

“I take it this means we are going to have to take everything said to us with a grain of salt,” Kanaya sighed.

“Yeah, lookth like we’re going into thith war blind. Ehehe.”

Karkat thumped his head against the table.

“Fuck.”

* * *

No one expected how suddenly it all came to an end. They went into battle, aware that everything they thought and planned for could be completely wrong. They prepared to lose, to die, to fail. The best any of them could hope for was death, and each and every one of them knew it.

When everything was looking to be its bleakest--John missing, more than half of the humans turned against them, their Time players not even in full control of themselves for a good portion of the battle, their Seers blinded in ways that just made it all worse--it changed, and then changed _everything else._

The wash of blue swept over the entire board, the entire incipisphere, and though the galaxy. It bathed everyone in gentle winds and lights, soothed and sang a sweet song that brought tears to human and troll alike. Then, like it had never existed at all, it vanished within a blink of the eye. Before anyone could ask what happened, the world lit up white.

It was the last anyone knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what has had my attention. I've been trying to write out the next chapter of **Candy Red King** and **Waxing Pale** but I got quite randomly addicted to Mass Effect and went on a binge of the series. Finally completed it just yesterday, started actually writing this after Mordin's death scene which I practically began sobbing during. This game has taken my heart, and torn it into little pieces.
> 
> It also kept tossing at me ideas. So I got to writing. And writing. And thus comes this monster.
> 
> By whatever fucking powers that be, something give me a break soon okay? I want to deal with real life bullshit and finish what I've ALREADY got started before I make more. That includes my novel. 'K thanks, bye.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _They think its a punishment. Being called guilty, standing before the Admiralty Board like some naughty child, on trial for actions that put the entire Fleet at risk._
> 
> _To Kurr this is like a pleasant dream coming true. He misses the cold familiarity of his home, of Omega. He knows he’s not a proper Quarian, not like the others. He’s come to accept this long ago._
> 
> _In his room, aboard the Yaska, Kurr laughs. He laughs, because he has succeeded._

_The room is silent as he stands there, hands clasped behind his back with his Captain beside him. It is silent to make him uncomfortable. They disapprove. They always disapprove. It is nothing new to him. In fact he expects this day is long in coming. He knew he didn’t have long. He’s known for a year now that his days are numbered. How could he not when he planned it that way?_

_“Kurr’’Xen vas Yaska, we of the Admiralty Board have listened to the evidence and arguments presented to us,” Admiral Daro’Xen vas Moreh stands at the center apex between the Admirals, presiding over the affair with cold finality._

_Their relation is distant, but it is cause enough for her to have recused herself, thus her position outside of the voting surface. Kurr clenches his hands together tightly, already expecting the verdict. It is the verdict he wants, after all._

_“Admirals, I now ask you to put to vote what should be done for Kurr’Xen vas Yaska, who stands before this board on trial of Treason against the Migrant Fleet,” Daro’Xen finishes._

_Kurr wants to grin, but restrains himself. Grinning has been painful since long before coming to the Migrant Fleet, and the memories of why he suppresses. They hurt more than anything. Instead he refrains from showing any other sign that he is quite giddy with the thought of what is to come next._

_“Guilty,” speaks Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya._

_They think its a punishment. Being called guilty, standing before the Admiralty Board like some naughty child, on trial for actions that put the entire Fleet at risk. It is not like the Admiralty Board expects Kurr to want this after all. They expect him to be contrite. No sane Quarian would want what is to come, he knows, but he isn’t like other Quarians he supposes. He clenches his hands tighter as his Captain places what he guesses is meant to be a comforting hand upon his shoulder._

_“Guilty,” speaks Admiral Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib._

_To Kurr this is like a pleasant dream coming true. They entire Admiralty Board aren’t aware of what he wants, that they are playing into his palms by giving him this. Oh the sentence hasn’t been listed yet, but treason tends to receive the same punishment no matter what the cause. So far, Kurr counts this as a win and struggles not to remove his Captain’s hand from his shoulder._

_“Guilty,” speaks Admiral Shala’Raan vas Tonbay._

_Kurr’s lips twitch and he physically flinches, his shoulders twitch and he jerks slightly. It works to his favor, makes him appear cowed as each Guilty verdict is stated by the Admirals. After this they’ll tell him his punishment, which as he surely expects will be Exile._

_“Guilty,” speaks Admiral Han’Garrel vas Neema, and it is the final blow in the self-made coffin. Kurr grins, and jerks out of his Captain’s grip at the pain._

_“Kurr’Xen vas Yaska the Admiralty Board finds you guilty of treason against the Migrant Fleet,” Daro says. “The punishment for these crimes of which are Exile. Since the nature of your crimes leaves no chance for redemption we are forced to remove you from the Fleet and strip you of your name. Your Captain will handle all affairs needed to see you safely on your way. We conclude this trial.”_

_With that the Admirals step down from their high podiums. Kurr doesn’t relax, instead he tenses further. They’ll give him enough to survive, he’ll be confined to his quarters upon the Yaska until he can be sent onto a shuttle safely to the nearest colonized planet or station, under constant watch of course because they can’t risk him discovering anything else. When he leaves then he’ll be given his omni-tool, his weapons, and all he owns to take with him._

_Kurr can’t wait. He misses the cold familiarity of his home, of Omega. He knows he’s not a proper Quarian, not like the others. He’s come to accept this long ago. Even more though Kurr misses his family. His sisters and brother, all of whom need him far more than these broken people, scrounging for something to give them meaning._

_That is why, perhaps over anything, that he follows after his former-Captain silently. He allows the confiscation of his omni-tool and any weapons he has to his name, any technology that can be used, and settles back into his room aboard the Yaska. He’ll be transfered to a shuttle within the day, and then find himself somewhere. Kurr knows that wherever he lands it will probably take all of his precious credits to get that shuttle to Omega, but in the end it will be what he wants._

_In his room, aboard the Yaska--not to be his soon enough--Kurr finally relaxes and laughs. He laughs, because he has succeeded. He laughs because not only is he exiled, like he wants, but he played the Admiralty Board for fools and they didn’t know it._

_Kurr counts this as a win, and so doesn’t even fight when they finally remove him from the Yaska to the shuttle ship that will, eventually, take him home._

* * *

Kurr woke up, aching and sore all over, in the lap of his sister Mara. She had his mask and hood lowered, her fingers stroked through his hair, cropped short for convenience over preference. He opened his mouth to ask what happened, shifting in Mara’s lap, but she tugged on his hair tightly.

“Don’t,” she said, the words lyrical, but wrong--she was speaking Khelish, not the common tongue they’d normally use. Kurr looked up at her, he felt warm and sick in more ways than one. He was surprised to see her unmasked, hood down. Obviously the rest of her suit was still in place, but like him she kept her head bare. He glanced around the room, noting that it was the one sterile room they had in their apartment on Omega. He couldn’t remember what brought him here, or why he was with Mara like this.

“Father not pleased. Mother more so,” Mara said, answering his queries before he could ask. She’d always done that, as far back as he could remember. He opened to ask what she meant, but it hurt to move his jaw like that and instead he went stiff with a faint whine. “Perhaps say not pleased is understatement....”

There was a knock at the door, which was locked red. Pained violet eyes shifted as Mara moved him, settling him down onto the bed and heading towards the door. Shit hit a screened console and began to speak with whomever was on the other side.

 _“How is he?”_ the voice sounded familiar, but Kurr couldn’t quite place it. He’d been gone too long, he guessed, because there was only a short list of who it could be. Obviously it was not their Father or Mother, as he’d recognize both right away. It could be his younger brother, Zee, or sister, Adia, or even Kann or Kar whom were like his siblings despite not being related.

“Out of it. He remember not,” Mara replied. Her sentences were shorter than he remembered.

 _“I have some food, if you think he can have it,”_ said the voice. _“May I enter?”_

Oh it must be Kann or Kar then, only they would dare to ask to enter the sterile room just like that.

“Is safe?” Mara questioned.

_“Tripled sterilized, Turian steak, water, and some Turian dextro-chocolate. Oh, I also have some painkillers. Just in case.”_

There was a moment of silence where Mara hesitated before speaking again. “I don’t think he eat foods solid. Kann. Not anymore. Come in.”

The door blinked in three times as the other side of the door vented its environment to match the environment inside. Then it flashed green and opened. Kann was completely suited, mask, hood, and all when he stepped into the room. There was a tray which had all the foods he mentioned, or so Kurr guessed. They looked more like soup.

“You knew already,”Mara accused.

“As did you,” Kann replied. They stared at one another, or Kurr guessed they did. “Let’s agree that we both already had figured it out and leave it at that. There was nothing we could do to prevent it.”

Mara stared at him, then nodded once. Kurr blinked hazily as both approached him. He tried to speak but at it came out was pained unintelligible noise.

“I say don’t,” Mara snapped, instantly going to his side and lifting him up into a pseudo sitting position.

“You haven’t told him yet have you,” Kann asked, setting the tray down onto a table. He pulled out a single plate with a spoon. It looked like grey mush and most likely was Turian steak _paste_. Kurr grimaced painfully.

“No,” Mara said bluntly. “Did not.”

Kurr made another, pained garbled sound of confusion. He didn’t understand what they were talking about, and he was even more confused as to why he couldn’t make any intelligible sound. He grasped Mara tightly on her arm and reached for Kann in a hazed confusion. Kann sighed.

“Syin and Gida were furious, Kurr,” he said, setting the spoon down. Mara stroked Kurr’s hair and Kann grasped Kurr’s other hand as if for consolidation. “Not only did Mara return a year ago, but now you too. Both of you exiled, and on purpose. They...were not nice.”

“Evil!” Mara snapped. “Hurt Kurr. Broke him. Beautiful Kurr no say.”

Kann looked down at his lap and nodded. “Syin cut out your tongue. Mara tried to intervene when it happened. Gida hit her hard. Eshus and Chorus looked at you both afterward since Syin and Gida said not to treat either of you....”

“I no say right,” Mara said, her voice was cold. Furious, Kurr thought. It fit her, like an old beautiful dress that he hadn’t seen her wear in some time. “You say no all.”

Mara’s cold fury bled into Kurr at that thought. Syin had rendered him _mute_. The one thing that he’d always had, his voice, had been taken from him. When they were younger he used to sing to their smaller siblings. He’d sing for Zee and Adia small prayers and hymns from the homeworld. Lullabies and songs that had been almost forgotten since they lost Rannoch that he’d found, and even music from _before_. Now he couldn’t even do that for the younger ones, that comfort was lost to him.

Kurr held tight to Kann and Mara, and all three of them leaned close. The cold plastic of Kann’s mask touched his forehead, comforting against the unnatural warmth that spread across his skin like a disease. Mara’s slightly warm skin touched his, too, and all three just stayed there, taking comfort in one another. Even as tears slipped down Kurr’s face, down Mara’s face, and most likely beneath the mask down Kann’s face. Tears for the pain and the loss, a bit of their hope and innocence taken once again.

“They will pay some day,” Kann murmured, his voice bleeding the fury that Mara felt, that Kurr channeled. It was a cold rage, heartless and demanding in its strength. “They will burn. They will _all_ burn.”

“Kann. Sometimes say sweet things,” Mara said. “Is new. I like. Cold Kann.”

Kurr nodded, it was all he could do until they could find a new means of communication. He agreed with Mara’s sentiment; this cold fury in Kann’s voice was new, different, but it oddly suited their pseudo-brother. Kurr would have never thought he’d see the day where Kann grew cold. Kann had always been a self-righteous bastard, sure, but he was warm and friendly aside from that. He wasn’t broken like Kurr and Mara were.

“Cold Kann. Good,” Mara said, and Kurr nodded again. “For now. We play. Keep safe. Safe better.”

Kurr wanted to add that they had to look out for the younger ones too. Adia, Zee, and even Kar. It would be some time before they could contain the memories, and until then their bright lights were so easily corruptible. He couldn’t say it, though, and whined in the back of his throat, annoyed by his weakness.

“Hush, Kurr, I know what you are trying to say,” Kann said, stroking his fingers through Kurr’s hair and pulling back. “I’m the Hero of Blood, remember? Understanding the intricacies of bonds has always been my thing....”

“What,” Mara questioned. “What Kurr say.”

Kann patted Mara’s hand and Kurr gave a nod. They’d been given a chance to change, long ago, and after a lot of thought and a lot of deliberation they’d chosen to take it. They’d been wrong once, Kurr and Mara, and they realized it only when it was too late.

“We’ll protect them from the corruptive influence of Syin and Gida for as long as we can,” Kann said softly.

“Can’t always. Protect hard. Mother. Father. Not right,” Mara interrupted, her face with a frown.

Kurr growled, and Kann nodded. “Doesn’t mean we don’t try.” After a minute, staring down at her lap, Mara raised her head and nodded as well.

“Try,” she said. “Always try. Maybe succeed. For once.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've listed off some character names here, without giving you much of a background, so I'll explain them below [as well as ages]
> 
> Kurr'Xen vas Yaska nar Omega, born in 2160, exiled in 2181 -- Father Syin'Xen formerly vas Iktomi Mother Gida'Danna formerly vas Defrahnz -- BOTH exiled  
> Mara'Danna vas Moreh nar Omega, born 2159, exiled 2180. Father Syin'Xen formerly vas Iktomi Mother Gida'Danna formerly vas Defrahnz -- BOTH exiled  
> Zee'Xen nar Omega born 2167 -- Father Syin'Xen formerly vas Iktomi Mother Gida'Danna formerly vas Defrahnz -- BOTH exiled  
> Adia'Danna nar Omega born 2168 Father Syin'Xen formerly vas Iktomi Mother Gida'Danna formerly vas Defrahnz -- BOTH exiled  
> Kann'Vael nar Omega born 2166.  
> Kar'Vael nar Omega born 2168.  
> Chorus Beschells born 2166. -- Father Morzzik Beschells -- WHOOPS HAD THESE TWO BACKWARDS  
> Eshus Beschells born 2169. -- Father Morzzik Beschells -- WHOOPS HAD THESE TWO BACKWARDS
> 
> Kurr'Xen - Kurloz Makara  
> Mara'Danna - Demara Megido  
> Kann'Vael - Kankri Vantas  
> Zee'Xen - Gamzee Makara  
> Adia'Danna - Aradia Megido  
> Kar'Vael - Karkat Vantas  
> Eshush Beschells - Equius Zahhak  
> Chorus Beschells - Horuss Zahhak
> 
> Later these characters will all go by 'Vael' for reasons that will be expanded upon in the story. The basic statement is that Syin and Gida are _not_ nice Quarians. In fact they're practically the equivalent of a Quarian psychopath. Take that science bitch Admiral whom you can't help but hate and twist her a thousand times worse and you have Syin and Gida. They don't even treat their own flesh and blood nicely, instead seeing them as tools to a means to an end.
> 
> Morzzik is a Salarian hired by Syin and Gida to do some work for them in 2166, before Kann was born.
> 
> Kann and Kar are very special, and as such oftentimes coddled by Syin and Gida in that they make _sure_ Kann and Kar are never physically hurt. Instead Syin and Gida will hurt their own children, in an effort to keep Kann and Kar within 'acceptable behavior perimeters' -- let me put it as there is a reason why I don't list parentage for Kann and Kar, as that will be revealed later.
> 
> Eshus and Chorus are both Salarian's, and in a similar state as Kann and Kar with Morzzik being to them like Syin and Gida are to their children. Eshus gets treated how Syin and Gida treat Kann and Kar, with Chorus taking the brunt of their father's ire. Morzzik is a very _cruel_ Salarian.
> 
> More later.


End file.
